All right, so short of a few more trial and error attempts, I am not going to figure out when the Essentials were compiled. I don’t think that’s a big deal.

I do think that ranking extra cloths, a flashlight, and compass as equal is wrong. It is only valid if you are planning a night hike. If you are on a day hike that goes south, having extra cloths to survive the night is more important than having a compass or light to guide you.

Although, I think the light is important if you get darked upon. For example if it takes longer to get back to the trail head than you thought it would. It can help you stay on the trail in the dark. Then you will not need the extra cloths for overnight or the compass because you stayed on the trail.

I usually bring a light just in case something goes wrong and I’m out after dark. As far as a compass, I don’t think it is that essential unless your wandering away from any trails. This is especially true now that GPS devices are common place.

I got the date wrong too — though I have to believe the Boy Scouts or the Pathfinders or some other British outdoor group came up with a comparable list sometime in the 1920s. And I also don’t rank the compass, light and extra clothes as equal. I’d put extra clothes first (hypothermia), light second (shelter building after dark), compass third (nowadays we’re taught to stay where we are if lost, not take off across country).

I wish they hadn’t said “orientate”. Please tell me that hasn’t become accepted usage for “orient”.

Extra clothes, a flashlight, and a compass are equal in general because they prepare for different emergencies and you cannot predict which one you’ll have. Think about coming across someone else with an emergency, perhaps blisters that have gone septic.